Wasteland: Unexplored (Chapter 2)
*+*8 years later*+* "FIRE! FIRE!" Rhys, already on his canoe, paddled to the screaming with an alarmed expression. "What's wrong?!" It was the Chief, standing in front of a large house. Flames spread like the ashes that stained the grass. The windy weather scattered the ashes across the sand and into the beach. It sank to the bottom, where the fish slept. Where the crabs fed. Where thousands of years of history dissolved into the deep, dark abyss. Paint slowly peeled off the surface of the walls. It left reddish-pink strips, like when you tear off a hangnail. The strips too crumbled into a pile of soot and dust. Family pictures melted into goo. Even the glass was no match for the heat. "M'lord," Rhys boomed, bowing down. "I will do whate'er it takes to rebuild the house. I may only be 14, but... but I'll try. Nothin' means more ta me than my kingdom." There was a short silence between them. "Thank you," the Chief replied, his voice cracking from gratitude. "The family who lives... LIVED here... they are very important. Every single Ke'aupuni is, of course... but... remember who they are?" He smiled. "They taught you how to talk. And walk. They were babysitters of some sort as well. Your mother and father were very busy back then." Rhys felt a dash of happiness. He had an astonishing memory. He could remember things from ages ago. At least ever since he was able to talk. "I remember. Sorta... but thank ye for makin' me feel a bit better. Now I know... I will help those people." The Chief hugged him with a large smile. "I shall await your return, great-nephew. Also, I would like you to meet someone." The gates of the border rumbled and shook, as the clopping of horseshoes grew louder and louder. Finally, the gates swung open, revealing an alabaster carriage pulled by two hippocampi, a male and a female. The carriage was lined with pearls and coral. The only unclean parts of it were the wheels, which were coated in sand. The king of the Water Kingdom sat at the front, steering his equine friends. His daughter gracefully stepped out of the carriage with a wide grin. She had a sapphire skirt, wavy blue hair, beautiful watery wings and eyes as blue as the hippocampus mare's fins. The king followed her out of the carriage. "This is Anemone. Since we're from the Water Kingdom, she has some water-controlling powers in case you're in trouble," he explained. "However, since she's still in training, she can only use them in emergencies." "Hi! Are you Rhys?" she inquired. Rhys nodded. "Nice ta meet you, Anemone. Shall we get on the boat?" Anemone held her skirt and hastily tip-toed to Rhys's canoe. A splash of water tickled her hands. "The water's warm. Get in!" She gestured Rhys over to where she was. Rhys followed after her, shaking a bit. "Be careful not ta rock the boat too much, lass," he warned. "I've used this boat a lot." Anemone giggled. "Of course I won't. I'm not fat." She smirked a little bit. "Are you?" Rhys looked shocked. "How dare ye," he hissed playfully. Anemone laughed even more. "O-okay... *hehehah* Let's *huhuhuheeheehee* go..." The two royals grabbed their paddles and set off to sea. "Have you met my boyfriend?" asked Anemone. "He visits frequently." Rhys felt a tad disappointed. He had a tiny crush on her, but his hopes were soon shattered. He was okay with it, though. After all, they only just met. "Uh... is he the guy with blue hair?" Anemone nodded. "Yah! He's sooooo dreamy~" Rhys's heart sank a little bit, but he shrugged it off. "Hm. G-good for you." He paddled a bit harder, while Anemone skimmed her hand through the water. "Yer supposed ta use the paddle," Rhys groaned, slightly amused. "We ain't gonna get anywhere!" He passed Anemone her paddle. "I was just feeling the water, but okay," she chirped. The island wasn't in sight. It had faded into the blue of the horizon. Alright, off to a good start, ''Rhys thought. He and his new friend paddled even harder, easily pushing through waves. Time passed, and Rhys could see a bit of red in the water. "Anemone?! What's going on?!?" Anemone pointed to a group of sharks. "Oh my god! Sharks! I can name all of them! There's a shortfin mako shark, a great hammerhead, a lemon shark, a salmon sha-" "NO! There's blood in the water!" Rhys interrupted. "Did anyone get hurt?! Did I get hurt?! Did you get hurt?!?!" Anemone looked down. "There's a blanket floating in the water..." "Oh yeah. That blanket was on the canoe. Guess I forgot it existed," grumbled Rhys. The lemon shark rose up from the depths of the sea with a loose tooth. It was bleeding from the mouth. Anemone broke into laughter. "BWAHAHA, I THOUGHT SOMEONE DIED!!!" Rhys laughed along with her. "SAME 'ERE!! MAYBE THAT SHARK SHOULD GO TA THE DENTIST!" Rhys picked up a stick that was floating in the water and stuck it into the canoe. It wobbled a bit, and a few drops of water slithered in. He then tied the blanket onto the stick. "There," he said confidently. "I made ye a sail." "Made ''us a sail," corrected Anemone. And so, they sailed forward... Category:Stories